Switch-lug.



J. W. LATTA.

SWITCH LUG.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4, 1914.

Patented July 7, 1914.

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wirlmaomo J. W. LATTA. SWITCH LUG. APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 4, 1914v1,102,931 Patented July 7, 1914.

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TED STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

JOHN W. LATTA, OF LECOMPTE, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR 0F 0NIE-HALF TO JOHN C.BARNES, 0F LECOMPTE, LOUISIANA.

SWITCH-LUG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1914.

Application filed February 4, 1914. Serial No. 816,432.

ments in adjustable switch lugs, the primary 1 object being to provide adevice of this character whereby all the slack between switch points maybe successfully taken up.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of thischaracter wherein the bridle rod or the connecting rod for the switchpoints may be adjusted between the said points and eflectively retainedin such adjusted position.

Other objects and advantages of the device will appear as the nature ofthe invention is more fully understood, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings in which there is illustrated a simple andpreferred embodiment of the improvement reduced to practice.

In the drawings: Figure l is a view illustrating my improvement inapplied position between two railway switch points, Fig. 2 is anenlarged detail perspective view of the lug and bridle rod, the cap orcover for the body of the lug being raised above the said body, Fig. 3is a central longitudinal sectional view through the device illustratedin Fig. 2, the cap being shown in place upon the body, Fig. 4: is a topplan view of one of the lugs, the cap or top as well as the adjustableplate being removed, Fi 5 is a transverse sectional view on the ine 33of Fig. 3, Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the adjustable lugs,and Fig. 7 is a top plan view of a lug having its body or box portion ofa different interior formation and showing an adjustable plate therein.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the main rails are indicated bythe reference characters RR, and the switch points by the characters SS.Secured to the inner face of each of the switch points S is a lug,

'which is broadly designated by the numeral 1. The lug includes alongitudinally extending attaching plate 2 which has its inner faceshaped to conform to the fishing space of each of the switch rails, tobe snugly received therein, each of the said plates 2 being providedwith openings 3 for the reception of securing elements in the nature ofthe ordinary bolts and nuts for the bolts. lntegrally formed with eachof the attaching plates 2 approximately central thereof, and preferablyat the lower corner of the plate is a transversely arranged arm 1, thesaid arm being inclined downwardly with relation to the said plate 2.Formed with the arm a is what 1 term the'body 5 of the lug. This body isin the nature of a box or receptacle, having an openupper face whichprovides the same with an interior compartment 6. The lower face of thebox is formed with a substantially rectangular channel 7 which extendsentirely through the body below the arm 4 and below the lower wall ofthe compartment 6. The channel 7 is adapted to receive the end of thecross sectionally rectangular bridle or switch point connecting rod 8,the said rod being provided withone or more openings 9. while the lowerwall of the channel is formed with an elongated opening 10 whichregisters with the said opening 9. Arranger-- within the compartment 6to fully close the same is what I term an adjustable plate 1.1. Thisplate frictionally engages with the walls of the compartment 6. and thesaid plate is provided with any desired number of spaced. openings 12,the said openings, or rather the portion of the plate upon which theopenings are arranged being spirally arranged with relation to the plate11, so that one of the openings will at all times register with theopening 9 and the elongated opening 10 in the body, and receive theshank of a bolt 13 which passes through the registering openings andabove the body. The body of the lug has its open face preferablyarranged below the arm l, so that the juncture of the arm with the bodyprovides a vertically straight longitudinally extending shoulder 14, andtheupper face of the body to the end thereof opposite that provided withthe shoulder 14 is formed with upstanding oppositely disposed lugs15-15. The numeral 16 designatesthe closure for the compartment 6, andthe said closure is shaped to correspond with the shape of the body andis provided with oppositely disposed depressions which are adapted toreceive the lugs 15, while the inner edge of said closure 16 abuts withthe shoulder 1 1. The closure 16 is also provided with an elongatedopening 18, and through this opening projects the stem of the bolt 13,the nut 19 for the bolt resting upon the upper face of the closure l6.

With such an arrangement, it will be noted that by removin theadjustable plate 11 to position any of the openings 12 either toward theside of the compartment 6 opposite the lug 14, or to position the saidadjustable plate so that the said opening 12 which was formerly arrangedadjacent the shoulder 14 is disposed to the opposite side of thecompartment, the bridle rod 8 may be adjusted as desired, the adjustmentjust referred to being the greatest permitted, it being understood thatany of the said openings arranged spirally of the plate may receive thebolt 13, so that the bridle rod may be. adjusted to a nicety. In thepreferred construction, the compartment 6 is of an octagon shape, andthe perimeter of the plate 11 is provided with eight faces but ifdesired, the plate 11 may be in the form of a disk, as illustrated inFig. 7 of the drawings.

, From the above description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, the simplicity of the device as well as the advantages thereofwill, it is thought, be perfectly apparent to those skilled in the artto which such invention appertains without further detailed description.H

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. A lug oftheclass set forth, including a body provided with a compartment, a bridlerod having an opening passing through the compartment, an adjustableplate having spirally arranged openings within the compartment andfrictionally engaging the walls thereof, and a bolt passing through thebridle rod, the lug and one of the openings in the adjustable plate. v

2. In a device for the purpose set forth, a lug including an attachinglate, an arm arranged angularly of the p ate, a body connected with thearm, said body having a compartment, a removable plate having spirallyarranged openings within the compartment and frictionally engaging thewalls thereof, a bridle rod, and a bolt passing through one of theopenings of the plate and connected with the bridle rod;

3. In a device for the purpose set forth, a lug, said lug including anattaching plate, a body connected with the plate, said body having'acompartment,'the body being pro- Copies of Hill patent may be obtainedto:

vided with a passage which intersect-sthe compartment, the lower wall ofthe passage having an elongated'opening, a bridle rod having an openingarranged within the passage, a removable plate within the compartment,said plate having spaced openings, certain of which beingarranged nearerthe center of the plate than the remaining openings and all of the saidopenings being spaced at difierent distances from the periphery of theplate, one of said openings adapted to register in the opening providedby the channel with the opening in therod, a coverv for the compartment,said cover having an opening which is adapted to alincl with theregistering openings, a bolt passing through the registering openings, anut for the bolt, said nut adapted to engage with the closure. 1

4. A lug for the purpose set forth including an'attaching plate, anangular arm connected with the plate, a body formed upon the arm andhaving its; upper open face dis posed below the arm to provide ashoulderbetween the said body and arm, the said body being furtherprovided with an upstanding lug, the body being provided with, a channelcommunicatingwith the interior of the body, the said channel beingprovided with an elongated opening, a bridle rod being disposed in thechannel to fully close the channel and to have its opening register withthe opening provided in the channel, a removable platevfilling thecompartment of the body, said plate being provided with spaced openings,each of the said openings being arrangedupon the plate at varyingdistances from the perimeter of the plate and one of the openingsadapted to register with the openings in the bridle rod and the channel,a closure adapted to abut with the shoulder having depressions toreceive the lugs of the body, said closure having an elongated openingwhich communicates with the registering openings in'the plate, bridlerod and channel, a bolt passing through the registering opening, a nutfor the bolt, said nut adapted to engage with the outer face of theclosure.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.v Y

' JOHN W. LATTA.

Witnesses:

W. L. BROWN, G. P. DAVIS.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Ilia/cents.Washington, D. 0.

